Power transmission



Jan. 12 192 1,569,719

G. CONSTANTINESCO POWER TRANSMISSION Filed July 25, 1923 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. CONSTANTINESCO Jan. 12 192 POWER TRANSMISSION Filed July 25, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 G (3 2167a Zi/Z e560 Jan. 12 1926.

G. CONSTANTINESCO POWER TRANSMISSION Filed July 25, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 12,1926. 1 1,569,719

1 G. CONSTANTINESCO POWER TRANSMI SSION Filed July 25. 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 12 1926.

G. CONSTANTINESCO POWER TRANSMISSION Filed July 25, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. -12,192s.. I 1,569,719

, G. CONSTANTINESCO POWER TRANSMISSION Filed July 25. 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet e Ill/477 G (biwlaialuzas'co Af/y Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES "PAT am" I OFFICE.

GEORGE CONSTANTIIFESCO, OF WEYBRIDGE, ENG-LAND. I

rowan 'rnmsmrssron."

Application fiIed'JuIy 25,1023.- Serial no 853,772.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE CoNs'rAN'nN- Esco, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 'Carmen Sylva, Beechwood Avenue, Oatlands Park, Waybridge inv the count of Surrey, England, have invented certaln' new and useful Improvements in Power Tra11smission, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the trans-- mission of power from prime movers tog shafts which are to be rotated against variable resisting torque.

In m British patent specification No) 185,022 havedescribed a method and apparatus'by which variable torque and speed can be obtained froma single alternating or sinusoidal motion by splitting such motion in two alternating or sinusoidal inotions of the same frequency, one of these being caused to oscillate a mass about a mean position, while the other is caused to oscillate a pair of unidlrectional driving devices, moving in opposite phase but driving a shaft in one direction. Y

. In apparatus described in the said specification a floating lever is employed connected at one point to the prime mover and at-another point carrying or-connected to an effective mass while one or two other points are connected to apair of unidirectional devices moving in opposite phase and giving motion in one direction to the driven shaft.

The'jobject of the present invention is to' provide a modified method and apparatus for transmitting power from a prime mover to a shaft which has to be rotated against a variable resistance giving a similar "result to that given by the method and apparatus described 'in my said specification.

The invention consists in a method of splitting alternatingmotion into two' components by means of three links meeting at a common point, the free extremities of such links beingsubjected respectively one to a driving force or forces, the second to the reactance of a mass, and the third to the resistance to be'overcome.

The invention further consists 1n :1. IIlOdlfied method and apparatus for the purpose specified in which the alternating motion derived jfrom th by a link to an oscillating pivot which is connected to a second link to a lever swinging above a fixed point and carrying a mass, and by a third link to a point on a stabilizing link swinging about a fixed point, this stabilizing g connected to a pairof unidireclink bein tional driving devices moving in opposite phase and driving a shaft in one direction.

I have found that in such systems in which e prime mover is transmitted 1 more than one degree offreedom is allowed A so that the actual motion and torque which takes place depends on vthe element of time owing to the relative variation of speed of the driving various pivots and links are necessary to produce the required result.

-- links moving towards the common ,point substantially in the direction of their lengths so that the angles, A, B and G are substantially constant; the link whose displacement is X being opposite the angleA, Y opposite B, and Z opposite C respectively, the necessary condition between the displacement X, Y, Z for the proper operation of the apparatus is that a linear equation shall exist between these movements. On the other hand it can be shown that the following relation always exists between these variables X sin A+Y sin B-I-Z sin 0:0.

It follows that it is sufiicient that the angles A, B, 0 should be chosen so that their sines shaft and of the. driven shaft, certain geometrical relations between the 7o -The apparatus constructed according'to comprising to a pivot capable of to be overcome at the driven shaft, it is Sui-- tween the inertia device and the ficient to provide. a combination of three links or constant length meeting at a common point which is not restrained in the plane of the links, the other ends of the links being arranged to oscillate respectively an inertia device, apa1r-of unidirectional driving devicesworking in opposite hase each other at and driving a crank, the arrangement eing such that the" sines of the angle between the links remain approximately constant.

The arrangement is suitable for use" in connection with prime movers working either at constant torque or at constant speed or developing constant energy.

If A:B=C, that is if the links are. inclined at 120 degrees to each. other, or if continuations of the links are inclined to this angle, the relation reduces to The present invention further consists in apparatus for transmitting power from a driving shaft to. a shaft which has to-be rotated againsta variable resisting torque including various arrangements of links fill-- filling approximately the essential geometrical condition as defined above.

The invention also consists in a imidirectional driving device comprising a stabilizing link pivoted at a ,fixed point and having at its' free end a pivot. oscillated about a mean position and connected to a ratchet device alternately engaging and disengaging a rotor mounted on a fixed axis,

the various pivots being so disposed that the ratchet devices moves at double the freall quenc of the driving oscillation.

I The invention also consists in a" method and apparatus for transmitting power from a prime mover; to a shaft which has to be rotated against a variable resistance so arranged that the alternating motion derived from the prime mover is transmitted by a link to an oscillating pivot which is con-' nected by a second link to a member swing-i ing about afixed point and carrying a mass and by a third link to a point on a stabilizing link "swinging about afixed point at double frequency, this stabilizing link beingconnected to a unidirectional driving device, driving a shaftin onedirection.

The invention further consists in subjecting the jamming member of the ratchet to through it a torque. on the rotor and thus operates to. give to the system a definite a reversing ratchet device'opera-ted .as dehereinafter described.

mam

an external force, for example by means of -a spring attached to a fixed point so that the s ring exerts an external and independent orce on the jamming members and mean position when there is no resistingtorque on the rotor.

' The invention also consistsin providing 15 sired in either direction of rotation, the jamming member of the ratchet being con.- nected by springs to a reversing lever arranged so that the force applied to the jam ming member can be reversed according to the direction of rotation desired, the fixed pivots of the two stabilizing links which carry the driving pivot being arranged as half bearings so that motion in one direction of the fixed pivots is restrained for one direction of rotation of the driven member and motion in the opposite direction of the .'fixed pivots is restrained for rotation in the opposite direction of the driven member.

such arrangement for either direction B oi rotation of the rotor, each stabilizing link is only subjected to tension.

The invention further consists in apparatus of thetype specified arranged so that the moving parts are balanced.

The invention further consists in apparatus of the type specified in which provision is made for reversing the direction of motion of the driven shaft.

The invention also consists in a symmetrical double arrangement in which reversing is provided for and in which further a mean position is automatically maintained for either direction of rotation of the drivenmember.

The invention also consists in the im- "proved method and means for transmitting motion from-a driving shaft to a shaft to be rotated against a variable resisting torque Referring tolthe accompanying diagrammatic drawings Figure 1 is-a diagram illustrating the inventioxr;

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly in section of one modification; Figure 3 is a sectional plan of the same;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4+4, Figure 2, while.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Figl ure 2;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66, Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of another W5 form of the apparatusy Figure 8 is a section on the line 2-2, Fig

.ure 7, while Figure 9 is a diagram showing the mechanism adoptedfor malntainmg the parts in 3 a mean position; Y

tea-.719

Figure 10 is a diagram showing a modified mechanism forjmaintaining'the parts in a mean position; 1

Figure 11 is adia am showing a further modification of the invention in which impulses are obtained on the rotor at double the frequency of the drivin link;

Figure 12 is a diagram s owing a-modified form in which two stabilizing link sare provided to enable the rotor to be driverrin either direction;

In the diagram, Figure 1, three links a y 2 inclined substantially at an angle tolink y is connected to the working device,

for example, a pump or compressor. By this means the motion-of. the. driving link .2 .is split between an oscillating inass and the workin member connected to the link y.

In t 'e modification of the invention shown in Figures 2 to 6, the driving crank is connected by a link 4 tothe common pivot 3 which is: connected by a second link 2 to an oscillating flywheel k and by a. third link 6 to a pivot 7 restrained b an arm 8 pivoted at a fixed point 9 and connected to a pair of unidirectional driving devices 11, 11 acting on the driven member 12. The fixed plvots'of the oscillating crank '1' driving shaft and driven member may conveniently be placed in the same plane which may convenientlyform the plane of division of .the casing with consequent simplification of the arrangement of the, bearings. The angle between the link 2 and the link .6 connected to the unidirectional driving, devices is 120 degrees and the angles between the link- 6 and the link 4 connected to the driving crank is degrees, so that the line forming the. continuation of'the link 4 through the common point and the lines of-the links 2 and 6 meet at the common point at an angle of- 120 degrees, but any other suitable angles may be selected. 5 1s. a counterweight.

In orderto provide for the stability of the system when running at no load, there may be provided stabilizing springs such as. 13. I f stabilizing tension rods are employed for both directions of rotation they should lie ina direction at right angles to the direction of oscillation of the pivot to which they are connected and. half bearings may be employed restraining movement in one direction only and allowing freedom of movement in the opposite direction. 4

The unidirectional drivingdevices employed in the apparatus illustrated comprise strained member may conveniently be discs 14 and mama by the unidirectional driving devices and caused when moving in one directionto. press hard against rubber pads 15 whose other faces are in contact w th flanges 16 kc ed to the .rotor shaflz. Similar'flanges an pads are provided at the two ends of the shaft and outside the casing so that oil will not come in contact with it. 'Such arrangement are it will be scent-hat the rubber is situated fully described inmy. British patent specification No. 203293 (or Serial No. 653,774,v

' In-carrying the'inven'tion into efi'ect according to the example illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9, thetwo driving eccentricsa b are connected by links ad to common points e f. The common points c f are connected by second links 9 k to oscillating flywheels k l and b third links 7:. m to pivots'o p rey. cylinders 21, 22, see Figure 9, in which wor .pistons 23, 24, restrained by springs 25, 26, the piston rods being pivoted to fixed points 2T and 28. The pi'vots o p are also each connected to a pair of unidirec- -t ,ional driving devices 9 1' and s t acting on the same driven member u in a similarJnan'ner to that described in my British patent specification No. 185,022. The fixed pivots of the-oscillating flywheels and of the driven single lane as illustrated, or t e arrangement ilustrated maybe inverted" in' which case lubrication can be readily effected by.

splash from the driving eccentrics which may be immersed in oil.

Considering one side only of the apparatus the mean angle between the driving link 0 and the link connecting the common point e to the oscillating flywheel is do grees and the mean anglebetween the link 0 and the link m connected to the unidirectional driving devices is 60'degrees so that the link 0, link 9 and the continuationof the link m are inclined at 120, degrees. For

a comparatively short throw of the driving laced in u eccentric and a' small oscillation of the fly wheel k, these angles will: not vary greatly during the rotation. It will be seen that according to this example of the invention, the driving shaft is mounted immediately above the driven shaft, while the oscillating flywheels are symmetrically arranged on each side of the vertical plane through the two shafts.

The reversing mechanism andthe ratchetdevices are shown in Figure 8 and comprise a slider 28 having large teeth 29 on the side nearer the oscillating member and small teeth 30 on the side next to the rotating member. An additional inertia member 40 is provided sliding on keys on the slider and adapted to be moved laterally by a fork on the shaft 41 so that the motio'nof the slider relatively to the oscillator is prevented in the other direction.

one direction or the other by suitable pro-- jections and recesses on the pin 42 carried by the oscillating member 9. A similar arrangement is provided on the-other side of the apparatus. This form of ratchet device and reversing mechanism is similar to that described in my British patent specification No. 205,293. Any other form of reversing ratchet mechanism may be used.

The. stability of the system is provided for by cylinders 21, 22 connected to the pivot 0 and co-operating with pistons 23,

24 acting against springs 25, 26, the piston rods: being connected to fixed pivots 27, 28. By this arrangement the mean position of the apparatus is rendered stable.

\ Instead of spring pressed pistons, stabilizing tension rods 31, 34, 32, 35 may be provided as shown in Figure 10. In this figure, taking one side of the apparatus, the

common pivot 0 is connected by links 31, 34 to the fixed pivot 33 and the fixed pivot 38 of the oscillating member k, the links being provided with slots allowing a slight movement inone direction and restraining it in Similar links 32, 35 are provided on the other side of the apparatus. For motion in one direction the pivots o 19 will be in the'position shown, while for motion in the opposite direction the pivot 0 will move upwards to the upper end of its slot andthe pivot p downwards to the lower end of its slot. Inthis manner an arrangement is obtained which is self centering-for either direction of rotation, while at the same time every part of the apparatus is satisfactoril balanced.

. In the form 0 the invention shown in Figure 11 which shows a double frequency arrangement, the crank of the driving member 5 is connected by the link 4 with the common pivot 3 which is connected by a link 2 to the crank 1 on the inertia member Ii. The'pivot 3 is also connected by a link 6 with the pivot 7 situated at'the end of a stabilizing link 8 moving about a fixed pivot 9. The pivot 7 is connected to a pair of ratchet devices acting on the rotor 14 by the connecting rods 11. i

In this form of the invention the centres of the various pivots are such that the pivot 7 oscillates about the fixed point 9 with double the frequency of oscillations of the pivot 3.

In the modified form shown in Figure 12, two stabilizing links 8, are provided con nected to the pivot 7 and arranged so that they come into operation alternately according to the direction of rotation of the rotor, two fixed pivots 9, 90 being provided .so that for rotation in one direction, the

stabilizing link 8 oscillates about the pivot 9, while for rotation in the opposite direc tion, the stabilizing link 80 osci lates the pivot 90.

With the arrangement shown in Figure 11 and 12 the system is stable provided there is a load'on the rotor 14.

It will be seen that with transmission 'mechanism as above described none of the links are subjected to bending stress, the links being either in compression or in tension so that a lighter mechanism can be employed, the heavy bending stresses which occur in a mechanism in which -a floating lever is employed being completely avoided.

-I claim-- 1. Apparatus for transmitting power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft which is to be rotated against a variable torque, comprising in combination a driving shaft, means for obtaining alternating motion from said shaft, three links meeting at a common point and serving to split such motion into two components of variable amplitude, means for transmitting-said alternating" motion to the extremity of one of such links, a connection from the second of said links to a lever swinging about afixed point and carrying a mass, a driving pivot at the free end of the third of said links, stabilizing means connected to said pivot and unidirectional driving devices connected to said driving pivot moving in opposite phase and driving a shaft in one direction.

2. Apparatus for transmitting power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft which is to be rotated against a variable torque, comprising in combination adriving shaft, means for obtaining alternating 'motion from said shaft, three links meeting at a common point and serving tosplit such motion into two components of variable amplitude, means for communicating alternating motion to the end of oneof such links, means by which the free end of the second link is subjected to the reaction of a mass, and means by whichthe free end of the third linkis operatively connected with the driven shaft through unidirectionals which convert the oscillations into rotary motion.

3. Apparatus from a driving shaft to a driven shaft which is to. be rotated against a variable torque, comprising in combination a driving shaft, means for obtaining alternating motion from said' shaft, three links meet-' for transmitting power third link at its free end and operative connection of this same end with unidirectional driving devices which impart double frequehcy impulsesto the rotor.

4. Apparatus for transmitting power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft which is to be rotated against a variable torque, comprising in combination a driving shaft, means for obtaining alternating motion from said shaft, three links meeting at a common pointand serving to split such motion into two components of variable amplitude, means 'for communicating alternating motion to the end of one of such links, means by which the free end of the second link is subjected to the reaction of a mass, a driving ,pivot at the free end of the third of said links, a stabilizing link swinging about a fixed point and connected to said pivot, and a pair of driving devices connected to said driving pivot moving in opposite phase and driving a rotor in one direction.

5. An automatic variablespeed gear for transmitting power to driven shaft which' has to be rotated against a variable resisting torque, comprising in combination a driving crank, a link operated by the said crank, a freely supported mass capable of oscillation, a pair of unidirectional driving devices adapted to drive a driven shaft alternately .in the same direction, and means for splitting the motion of said driving.

crank between said oscillating mass and said unidirectional driving devices, said means comprising two links pivoted to a common pivot on the aforesaid link, one of them operatively connected with the oscillating mass and the other with the unidirectional driving devices, said three links being so disposed that the algebraic sum of the products of the displacement of each in its line of action by the sine of the angle between the other two shall be substantially equal to zero.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE CONSTANTINESCO. 

